Pulling their leg

[OldGreyEagle 5]

bsat4jb,

 

I am sure the regulars knew this was comming and seems like FOG has beat me to the punch, but I do have a different take on it.

 

If you love taking young scouts snipe hunting then I guess you think humiliation is ok as long as it isnt you. Snipe hunts have no place in scouting, constitutes hazing and continuing to perpertrate such actions is as unscoutlike as you can be. Having fun at the expense of anoher's dignity is as depraved and twisted as can be.

 

[Fat Old Guy 11]

Well OGE, nearly all of the stories here fall into the same category as snipe hunts. Anytime that you spin a yarn with the idea of fooling the listener, you are amusing yourself at another's expense. We are such evil people.

 

 

[OldGreyEagle 5]

I dont see in the other stories where a young scout will be left alone in the dark while "pranksters" make him think he is in physical danger. If thats fun, count me out.

 

As the saying goes its all fun until someone loses an eye, or something like that.

 

 

[Fat Old Guy 11]

Doesn't matter, OGE. The motive is the same.

[hops_scout 9]

OGE, it the quote is.... "it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt, then it's hilareous"(sp)

 

We always laugh about snipe hunts in our troop. I dont see any problem taking the younger boys on a night hike and tell them that is what we are going to do. I dont see how it could be any worse than playing capture the flag at night w/o flashlights.

[bsat4jb 10]

OGE and FOG

I have been taken on snipe hunts, and I thought it was great. What happened to me at one point, however, was not funny. All of the older scouts came back with duct tape and started trying to tape us. I did manage to escape, but I will never do that to a younger scout.

 

JB

[bsat4jb 10]

OGE, you mentioned leaving young scouts in the woods "while 'pranksters' make him think he is in physical danger". I don't understand how we make him think he is in physical danger. Can you explain?

JB

[evmori 11]

Gentlemen, lets not forget a snipe is a REAL animal!

[Fat Old Guy 11]

That's right Ed. They live in the engine rooms of Naval vessels and they don't like being hunted.

 

 

[packsaddle 753]

We don't do 'snipe' hunts, primarily for safety reasons. Or, let's see, running through the woods in the dark...now what's the term for that?

 

Most of my leg-pulling consists of estimates of the distance left on backpack trips. For some reason, they all think I actually know distances better than they do...I try not to disappoint. Of course, most of my guesses end up way long.

However, there was one instance that sort of fits this category:

A couple of my guys were especially polite to me one afternoon at camp as they walked (skulked) past me toward their shelter. Of course, I knew immediately that mischief was in the air so the game was afoot for me too. I followed at a safe distance and quietly moved in behind the leader shelter so I could watch and see just what it was they had in mind. It was as I had thought...aerosol cans and matches. But I just watched, ready to spring if a serious accident was about to happen. They exhausted their can and matches and I strolled over to meet them coming out of from behind the shelter. I asked, "What have you guys been up to? I can tell you've been up to something." They went into shock and denial. After some discussion, I deduced out loud to them, from all sorts of tell-tale signs (smudges, they way their hair was parted, sweat on the sides of their faces), every part of their activity, down to minute details. They were speechless. I finished by giving them the safety lecture, absolving them, and letting them know that they NEVER get away with anything around me, I can always tell what they've been up to. All they could do was meekly apologize and promise they would never do it again. Years later they still haven't figured it out. I almost feel guilty.

[keschmahalen 10]

Hello,

 

JB, the "oldie but goodie" snipe hunt included leaving the young boys alone in the woods acting like fools and afraid of catching at least a "three" in order to become a member of the "club". Meanwhile the older more mature? boys and sometimes adults? were back safe at camp haveing the time of their life, enjoying their prank. Scouting has matured and such things are not allowed for reasons already stated.

 

Like all things good and bad, they can get out of hand. If I may take the 'tap out' as an example. An honored tradition which was, on occasion, taken too far and thus banned as hazing. In another thread someone mentioned that their lodge still does it by using a feather. A wonderful example of keeping the spirit of the tradition without the hazing.

 

I know that some will still argue that it shouldn't be because the tap out is considered hazing and has been banned. That is for another thread which I hope may be taken up in a proper venue beyond these forums.

 

Packsaddle, that was a good one, thanks for trying to get us back on track, but I think BJ deserved an answer to what I believe was an honest question. YIS, paul e. conley

[OldGreyEagle 5]

JB,

 

This may come down to a case of regional differences, and I have hesitated to answer because I dont want to give away any more bad ideas then are out there already, but if my explanation helps save anyone from being a victim, then it may be worth the risk.

 

To me, when someone says "Snipe Hunt", this is what it means:

 

The people "in the know" start talking about maybe doing a Snipe Hunt later in the day, maybe even at night. The uninitiated want to know more about "Snipe", they are told Snipes are small flightless birds that often follow a trail and the best way to catch them is with a bag (in my day it was a burlap bag, geez I am old)stretched over the Snipe Trail. The person holding the bag had to be strong because the Snipe is very strong and vicious for its size. Once the bird runs into the bag, you tie it off and have it. Eventually the "victims" are assigned the bag holders job. They are placed along "Snipe trails" and told to stay there no matter what, they cant chicken out, leaving their post is a sign of cowardice, they would be letting patrol/troop/humanity down if they leave etc. With great resolve the catcher/victims are left to their post.

 

Now, the pranksters can play the next part different ways, here is two. Number 1 is to leave the Snipe catchers alone, in the woods or field until the catchers get bored and come back to camp, of course the last guy back is the object of scorn and ridicule because he was SO stupid and stayed out for SO long. HAHA great fun.

 

Next is to tell the catchers there will be a Snipe Drive to push the birds to them. Great noise is then made after the catchers are left alone. Usually the drive noise will continue and then one or more of the "drivers" will have an encounter with the Snipe, usually with drastic consequences. The Catchers will be led to beleive Snipe have either maimed or killed one or more of the drivers or the drivers have been injured in some other way. Maybe other animals will be brought into the mix, a wayward bear, rabid raccoon, etc. The Catcher is left on his own to decide what to do.

 

Then when the terrified catchers make it back to camp, they are again the object of scorn because they were SO stupid to think it was all real.

 

There are many variations, but to me when you say "Snipe Hunt", it means to me you are setting someone up to either leave alone all night in the woods with no gear, or try to terrify him out of his wits. Either way, the victim will then be taunted with how stupid they are.

 

Now, if you have a "kinder, gentler snipe hunt", I would like to hear about it.

 

BTW, JB one of your experiences is a classic reason "hazing" or snipe hunting is not allowed in Boy Scouts. You said older scouts came back to "duct tape" you. But you were strong and able to get way. What about those, if any, who didnt get away. Where they bound with duct tape? Where they taped up to the point they couldnt walk, couldnt move, felt powerless and rage at their attackers? What was the point of the duct taping? Was it the older scouts way of telling the younger ones we are stronger than you and you had better do what we say? (fine directing style of leadership huh Ed?)

 

Tell us more about Duct taping scouts, that must be a real hoot

[bsat4jb 10]

OGE,

I never said duct taping younger scouts was a "hoot". No one that i know of was duct taped, and if they were, they were quickly released, and the older scouts soundly reprimanded for their "prank".

JB

 

P.S. We don't do the snipe drive, we leave them where they can easily return to camp as soon as they want to.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

I didnt say you said it was a hoot, it was my term. So if nobody got taped, why did you run away? If nothing "bad happened, why did you flee?

 

And if nobody got taped, why did the perpetrators all get reprimanded?

 

And when the victims come back to camp, what happens to them?

 

And they are comming back to camp alone, right, the Buddy system is suspended for the hunt right? And when one of the scouts gets lost, trips and breaks or sprains and ankle, and no one knows where they are, its all another huge hoot, right? Can you see why I abhor this whole concept?(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

[Fat Old Guy 11]

I have a feeling that OGE was taken on a snipe hunt and left in the woods for a night.